Door-sag correcting mechanism



Nov. 2, 1948. v T L 2,453,049

DOOR- SAG CORRECTING MECHANISM Filed'April 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. jHY/QPTEILLEQ,

. j MM ,NOV. 2, 1948. TRlLLER 2,453,049

I DOOR-SAG CQRRECTING MECHANISM I Filed April 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (4 r rap/v E X Patented Nov. 2, 19 48 noon-SAG CORRECTING MECHANISM David P. Triller,indianapolis, In. Application April 22, 1947, Serial No. 743,142

14 Claims.

(c1. lit-32),

Ilhe present invention relates to devices for correcting door sag, and is particularly concerned with the provision of means, so constructed that it mayreadily be installed by the average householder, and which shall be inexpensive, easy to install, and easy to adjust after installation. It

is an object of the invention to. provide simplemeans which, when installed in the manner contemplated, willact, as a door moves toward its closed position, to force vertical movement of ,the free edge of the door into a proper horizontal positionof adjustment to permit full closure of the door, and/or to effect registrationof the door latch with the latch plate on the frame. i A further object of the invention is to provide means which will not only overcome sag, but which will also act as holding means to retainthe doonin closed position or to press the door latch against its socket in the lat-ch plate, to prevent rattling of the doorinclosed position. Still further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

, To the accomplishment of the above and related fobjects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change maybe made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a fragmental, more or less diagram inatic, perspective view of portions of a door frame and of a door hung therein, with one embodiment of my invention installed thereon; .Fig. 2 is a fragmental elevational view of a portion of the free edge of the door in closed association with its frame, showing the same embodiment of my invention;

, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 ofFig. 2, and showing the door just before it reaches fully closed position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing the parts in the relation assumed thereby as the door reaches fully closed position; Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, and showing the parts of my invention in adifferent relationship; V Fig. 7 is a similar view, showing a modified form. of my invention, with the door in fully closed position; V

. Fig. Sis a view similar to Fig. 7 and showing a slightlymodified embodiment of my invention; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a still further embodiment of my invention, with the door in partially closed position;

til

Fig. 10 is aview of the embodiment of Fig}? withthe door fully closed; i i Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, but showing a modified relationship of the ,parts;

.12and13 are similar to Figs Q and .10;

but illustrating a further form of my invention;

Fig, 14 is a similar view, but showing still another embodiment of my invention; 1

Fig, 15 is a View similar to Fig. .14 but illustrat ing a still further embodiment of my invention; and i W113? Fig. 16 is e. similar vie w, showinganother iqrm of my. invention. .1 l 1 Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to it will beseen that I have. illustrated a door till hung in a frame 2!, said frame including a surface 22 which faces, when thedoor; isolosed, the free vertical edge 23 01? the door 20. A cylindrical disc E lis mounted upon thesurface 22loy means of a screw 25. constituting a journal element for said disc, concentric tosaiddisc, so that the disc 2A acts as a roller, and: is rotatable upon-its own 31x15. w, The cylindrical surface .26 of the disc this so positioneduas to be engaged; as thedoor Zll moves toward closed position byuthe cylindrical surface 2 E of a seconddisc 28;secured to the: free edge 23 of the door by means. of a screw 29 which penetrates said disc eccentrically upon a line parallel with the axisof said disc and withthe surface 27. .That surface of the disc til which abuts the door surface 23 is provided with axially,

extending projections which maybe simple burrs, but which, when thescrew 29 is solidly set, will bite into the surface of the door edgeto retainthe disc 28 again-st rotational movement about the axi of the screw 29. However, before the screw 29 issolidly seated, the disc 2i} will obvi;

ouslybe rotationally adjustable ,about the axis ofsaid screw, thereby adjusting the de ffifl of projectionhf thesurface 2T belowthe horizontal line intersecting the-axisof said screw.

As the doorapproaches closed position, the cam surface 2! of the cam disc 23 will engage the surface 26 of the disc 2 in the manner illustratedin Figl 3; whereupon further movement .of the door in closing direction, will cause the distill; to be cammed upwardly; as the; dis'cfZt rotatesin a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 3 and In Figs. 3 andx l, the reference lines Hand L, represent, respectively, the. high and lowpositions ofthe axis of the screw .291 resulting. from the coaction of the i dis-cs Mandi and the vertical diameter of the disc 28, so that.

the sag tendency of the door exerts a door-opening force through the coactioniofthetsurfaces 26 and 21. That force will hold the door latch forcibly against the wall of its socket'in the latch plate to retain the door: against rattling.

It will be clear that, because of the provision.

of the eccentric mounting for the disc 28,"'ac= curate positioning of the screws 25 and 29 is not necessary. The householder may guess at the approximate amount of sag; secure the disc 24 tothe frame-'22, and thread thescrew 29'into the door edge-23 at approximately the right level. Then, swinging the door-toward closed position, he"-ascertains-,- by inspection, the approximately correct position ofrotational adjustment of the disc 28, setsthediscat-that position, solidly seats the screw 29, and again tries the effect of closing the door. If he finds that the door' edge is lifted too far, he adjusts the disc 28 in a counterclockwise-direction; or if it is 'not lifted far enough, he adjusts the disc 28' in a clockwise direction. This try-'and 'set cycle is repeated until the proper adjustment of the disc 28 is attained.

In Figs. 5and 6,"I have shown the disc 28 oppositelyset. That is, in the arrangement of Figs. 5 and 6,-the vertical diameterof the disc 28; when the door is fully'closed,' is1ocated between: the surface 3| and the'vertical diameter of the roller 24*,wherebythe tendency of the door to sag exerts a force tending to press the door against the surface 31; said force acting. through the'scoaction of the surfaces 26 and 21.'

In' Figs. 7 and 8, I'have shown embodiments of my invention" primarily intended *for use in connection with sW-irigingdoors, via, doors which may open in either direction. Thus; in Fig. 7,1 have shown an edgeof a door 32' to which the disc-28, having the surface 21, may be secured through the medium of the screw 29 eccentrically penetrating said disc; Upon: the1frame33 I mount two discs 34' and. 351031 means of journal: lingjscrews 36 and3l whose axes are located in.a common horizontaluplane and, arespaced apart aldistanceonly slightlygreater. than. the. sum of "the radii of said discs. T-he.discs..34. and.,35 are rotatable abouttheirjournal elements, re.- spectively, so .that. their cylindrical. surfaces 38 and 39, respectively, act-asrollers,being-engageable bythe'surface 21,-ofthe .disc- 28w As the door 32 approaches closed. position, assuming the disc 28 .tobeproperly ad-justed the surface'21 of said disc will engage-the surface-98 of the disc 534 :or the surface 39 of the disc '35'at a point in the upper, outer quarter: segment ofsuch isur'face; and-as-the vertical diameter of the disc 28 moves toward" the vertical di'ameterrof the disc '34 or 35, trhBfidOOI' "32will1be' elevated; As the vertical Jdi ameteri'of the disc 98':passes the'vertical diameter ofithe engaged roller, the sagging tendency of the door will fur-gethedisc into the medium position illustratedxin Fig: 7,1wherein the adjacent por tions of the roller surfaces 38 and 39 cooperate to define a retaining cup.

In Fig. 8, I have shown a pair of discs 40 and 4| eccentrically mounted upon screws 42 and 43, respectively, whose axes are disposed in a common horizontal plane and are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the sum of the major dimensions of said discs from the axes of said..screws.Ea.ch of said..discs.is..formed toprovide a-cylindrical surface 44 or:45l eccentric to the screws 42 and 43, respectively, and a further disc 46, having a, cylindrical surface 41, is rotatably mounted upon a screw 41 c0ncentricallypenetrating the disc and driven into the free edge .of the door 32' to cooperate with the cam"'surfaces44 and 45 in a manner similar to the-cooperationzof the discs 28, 34, and in Fig. 7.

In Figs. 9 and 10, Ihave shown a door edge 48 carrying a cam disc-'50 secured in place by an eccentric screw-'- 5!; A lever fi2' -is -oscillably mounted upon= a screw 53 driven-# intoc th door frame 49 Z and on'e arnrfl -of-said leveris for-med lJO 'DIOVidS a terminalsocket 'orrecess55"-'adapted cooperatively 'toreceive thediscifl'. 1 The oppo sitearm 56 ofthe'lever152 -acts as a-counter weight to hold. the lever 52in a position presenw in'gthe socket 55 in'the direction-pf door-opening; Such position issub'stantiaHy that illustrated 'i'n Fig? 9. As "the door approaches-closedposition, the disc fil -will. enter the-socket" 55? ma n-1r ther door closing movement will cause the -lever 52- to be swung -in "a counter-cIOckWise direction; thus elevating the disc =50"- and-the edge'roi the door to which it is secured. Fig.;10-'tillustrates the 'positions of the-parts"when' the door is' in closed position.

When the-parts'are in the positions "illustrated in Fig; 10, the tendency of the door-to-sagpresses the latch against" a wall-of'its 'sock'et;'in'..the manner 'above-described in connection withFig's. 3 and 4. If the disc 59 is oppositely arranged; asillustrated 'in'Figtll; the lever 52",willbefiturned beyond its dead center position, and theitendncy ofthe door to sag will press thedoorlagainst its cooperating, frame, surface, .in..the..manner described in the. above description-soft Figs..;-5 and .6..

In Figs. 12 .and..13,- I I have shown-Ha-v doom-edge fillscarryinga camcdisc fil secured'i in placeeby a screw 62. Thedoor. frame 63.\ -mounts ,=a lever 64svhichis oscillatable uponas-screw 65rdriven into said door frame.v One [arm-.66;- OfaiSfidd 'lGVEfi 6.4 is formed-.to-provideza socket-:orseat 6F! ilikerthe socket 55, for&-the;.-reception of-- theed-is'cnfil The other arm 68' ofthe lever 64 is form-edziwithri'a notch 69 flanked byrflaringgstoprsurfaceso'lfliarrd H Ayleaftspringrlzvhas its-"fr'eesiend 13 received inc: the notch'm69a When ...the 2 dooris-r openra. the spring rend 73 will? cooperate with the notch' 69 and the stoppsurface. H towhold the -lever' 64 resiliently in the position 1 illu'str-ated in Figs 122' As the door approaches closed pos-itionythe disc 61 engages; inthe' seat 61, and further door closing movement willllsh ift the lever 64 irr'a' counter. clockwise direction-to lift the door-edge.- As the spring =end l3 passes the vertical line-intersecting the 'axisofi thescrew 55; the" spring willactf-as "a toggle to throw the lever 64 into the positionfggof Fig. 13; wherein 'the door "is resilientlyg held against the cooperating =stop surface cftheiframe:

In--Fig.- -'14;' Irhave illustratedxthe ultimatelin simplicity of "door-guiding mechanismhaving the operative advantages inherent in the" use of a camdisc-pfthe character "herein disclosed In that embodimentof my invention, I have'shown a door 75 anda frame member "iii, with a disc ll mounteduponthe door edge by'means of an eccentric screw 18; and a simple bracket l9 secured to the frame member iiiby screws iidysaid bracket being formd to provide an upwardly presented plane surface iii inclined upwardly in a door closing direction. The disc if, when properly adjusted upon the screw ill, will, engage the lowerportionof the surface 8! as the door with the surfaces 88 and 89, depending upon the direction in which the door has been opened.

In Fig. 16, Ihave shown fragments of a door 9i and a frame 92, the door edge carrying a disc 83 eccentrically mounted upon a screw 94. bracket 95 is secured to the frame member by means of screws 96, or the like. and is formed to provide a socket, opening in the direction of dooropening movement, and bounded by flaring surfaces 98 and 99. If the door sags, the cam disc 93 will ride up the surface 99 as the door closes; or if the frame has been warped so that the free edge of the door tends to assume a position above normal position, the cam disc will ride down the surface 93, as the door closes.

It will be clear that any one of the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein may be so proportioned and adjusted as to pull the free edge of the door downwardly, instead of lifting it upwardly, as the door moves to closed position, if conditions so demand. It will also be obvious that, although I have shown the elements 24 and 28, for instance, mounted upon and projecting beyond the surfaces of the frame and door, either the door or the frame may be recessed to accommodate the cooperatin elements, in case the door fits its frame too closely to permit interposition of the parts between the door and its frame.

I claim as my invention:

1. A door guide for use with a door and its frame comprising an element mounted on the free vertical edge of such door and an element mounted on the associated edge of the door frame in position to be engaged by said door-mounted element, as the door approaches closed position, one of said elements being adiustably mounted upon an eccentric horizontal axis.

2. A door guide for use with a door and its frame comprising an element formed to provide a surface inclined out of the horizontalin a doorclosing direction and a second element formed to provide a curved surface, means for securing one of said elements to said frame, means for securing the other of said elements to the free vertical edge of said door in position to cause said element surfaces to engage cooperatively as said door approaches closed position, the securing means for said second element including a journal member penetrating said second element on a line parallel with said curved surface but eccentric consisting of aframe member anda closure ineim her, said guide comprising, a circulari rdisc, a journal? member for 1 concentrically rotatably mounting said disc'onione of said doormmbers,

a second circular discya journal member for eccentrically mounting said second 'disc onhthe other of said door members inya position for engagement of edge surfaces of said dis'cs as the closure member approaches closed positionf and means for securing said second disc in anydesired position of rotational adjustment: about its journal member. i l A l l 4. A door guide for use with afidoor and its frame comprising an element mountedon said frame and a second element mounted on the free edge of'said door; said elements beingengageable and cooperable, upon closureof said doort to lift said free edge ofsaid door, oneof said elements being eccentrically mounted for adjustment to vary the vertical position; relative is to its support;

, of that portion of its surface which" engages the other of said elements. 3

5. A door guide for use with a door and its frame comprising means mounted on said frame and providing a surface upwardly inclined ina door-closing direction and an upwardly-opening cupped surface merging with the upper end of said inclined surface, an element mounted on the free edge of said door for cooperative engagement withsaid means as said door approaches closed position, said element presenting a curved surface for engagement with said surfaces of said means, and journal means supporting said element on said door for adjustment about an axis parallel with said curved surface but eccentric relative thereto,

6. The door guide of claim 3 in which the vertical diameter of the closure-mounted disc, when the closure is in fully closed position, is disposed between the vertical diameter of the framemounted disc and a surface of the frame facing in the direction of door-opening movement.

7. The door guide of claim 3 in which the vertical diameter of the frame-mounted disc, when the closure is in fully closed position, is disposed between the vertical diameter of the closuremounted disc and a surface of the frame facing to present said socket toward the open door, and

an element mounted on said free edge of said door at a level to enter said lever socket at said door approaches closed position and to swing said lever end upwardly and in the direction of doorclosing movement upon further closing move-.

ment after said element enters said socket,

9. The door guide of claim 8 in which said. element is mounted for eccentric adjustment biasing means is a counterweight.

12. The door guide of claim 8 in which said biasing meansis a toggle spring acting, when said lever is carried past a neutral position by doorclosing movement, to bias posite; direction.

13. A door guide comprising an element'adapt ed to be'fixed to that surface: of a door frame whichfaces the free edgefof a door whensaid door is closed, saidelement providing an up- Wardly presented surface inclining upwardly in the direction of door-closing movement, a circular disc'adapted to befixed to the free edge of such door, and a journal element penetrating said disc on a line eccentric with respect to the axis of said disc to support said disc 'for rotational adjustment about-the axisof said journal element. Y i

' 14. A doo'r'guide for use with a door and its frame comprising a device mounted on thefree vertical edge of such door and a device mounted on the-associated edge of the door frame in position to be cooperatively engaged by said doorsaid-lever in an op,-

moun-ted element, as the door approaches closed 20 ing a disc mounted upon an eccentric-horizontal axis transverse tosaid-surfaces and Joca'tedhbe! tween the planes of said surfaces.

DAVID P. TRILLER;

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 489,220 Currier v- Jan; 3, 1893 687,052 McCormick; 'No'v.i19, 1901' 1416, 258 Fleming Nov." 3, i914 1;29'9','41'6 Atwood Apr."8,"1919 1,447,271 'Soss Mar."6,1'923 

